Mischief Movie Night - Arts / Tour / The Other Palace

[greeny11]

Missing the next couple as I am at the theatre and it looks like a great cast.

[Dawnstar]

I'm really pleased to finally get to see Matt Cavendish doing Mischief improv, having seen him do both Mischief scripted & Showstopper improv. I'm also feeling slightly smug that my casting guesses were pretty accurate!

[properjob]

Jul 22, 2021 16:34:32 GMT Dawnstar said:

I'm really pleased to finally get to see Matt Cavendish doing Mischief improv, having seen him do both Mischief scripted & Showstopper improv. I'm also feeling slightly smug that my casting guesses were pretty accurate!

The more I think about it the more I think your speculation is right as an already isolating company member getting a PCR test result between the end of the first part and the sequel would explain the sudden cancellation because I can't belive they would retest the cast actually on site between two shows on the same day.

Ellie Morris getting called up from the London "Play that goes wrong" to do this means her understudy on that show is going to get plenty of shows this week.

[Dawnstar]

Jul 22, 2021 17:01:42 GMT properjob said:

The more I think about it the more I think your speculation is right as an already isolating company member getting a PCR test result between the end of the first part and the sequel would explain the sudden cancellation because I can't belive they would retest the cast actually on site between two shows on the same day.

Ellie Morris getting called up from the London "Play that goes wrong" to do this means her understudy on that show is going to get plenty of shows this week.

When they did the podcast episode at the end of the February run they said they all got tested before the show each day. I don't recall them mentioning having to be tested again between shows & surely it would be excessive. It only makes sense in terms of who's not having to isolate if the covid positive test is from the Thursday or Friday's cast, as if it was Sunday then Jonathan would be out & if it was Saturday then Dave would.

When West End Understudies tweeted on Tuesday that the understudy for Sandra was making her debut I thought "A-ha. That probably means Ellie's switching to do MMN." I'm sure they'd want time to to give the new cast a bit practicing beforehand, especially for Matt & Laura becuase they've not done the online version before & Laura last did the stage version for one show in January 2018 while Matt's not done it since when it was still Lights! Camera! Improvise!

[marob]

I get that many emails I don’t bother to open that I missed the email about the voucher, so glad I read that post Dawnstar  . That’s paid for tonight's show. 😀

Taking a fee for issuing a refund is a bit of a cheek though.

[Dawnstar]

As greeny11 is too busy seeing Come From Away to provide the usual MMN summary. Tonight's show was Back To The Tutor – a school reunion set at Joseph’s school. Cast: Laura Kirman, Lauren Shearing, Dave Hearn, Ellie Morris & Bryony Corrigan, plus a couple of Zoom appearances from Henry Lewis. I now want Dave to be the next James Bond!

[stevej678]

Tonight's heist movie set on Southend Pier, titled Pier Today Gone Tomorrow, might just be the Mischief Movie Night that finally broke Oscar!

Jonathan Sayer summed up tonight's surreal hour of chaos just perfectly.

Much as the circumstances of how this week's lineup came about are unfortunate (and those isolating at home are always a joy to watch), I'm loving seeing more of Dave Hearn and having Bryony Corrigan and Ellie Morris back in the MMN lineup again too.

[Dawnstar]

Jul 23, 2021 20:26:59 GMT stevej678 said:

Much as the circumstances of how this week's lineup came about are unfortunate (and those isolating at home are always a joy to watch), I'm loving seeing more of Dave Hearn and having Bryony Corrigan and Ellie Morris back in the MMN lineup again too.

While I'm so pleased to finally get to see Matt Cavendish in a Mischief improv show, having been waiting since 2015!

Oscar must have thought he was going to have a nice stress free weekend, with Harry away isolating. But no!

[marob]

Loved tonight’s, particularly the bird “landing” on the statue and the first of the Cockney knees-ups, and it’s always nice to see Dave Hearn playing a villain. Was somewhat annoyed when my internet connection, which is reliable 99.9% of the time, cut out twice just as Harry Kershaw’s cameo was starting, and came back on just as it finished. 🙄

[Dawnstar]

Jul 23, 2021 20:57:19 GMT marob said:

Loved tonight’s, particularly the bird “landing” on the statue and the first of the Cockney knees-ups, and it’s always nice to see Dave Hearn playing a villain. Was somewhat annoyed when my internet connection, which is reliable 99.9% of the time, cut out twice just as Harry Kershaw’s cameo was starting, and came back on just as it finished. 🙄

I wouldn't say you missed much. His riddle was basically incomprehensible!

[Dawnstar]

This afternoon's show was The Man Who Came In From The Cold Storage – a spy thriller set in a warehouse in East London. After the first scene established the relationship, and probable pregnancy between Agent Macabre (Bryony) and her boss H (Dave) I spent the rest of the show on tenterhooks in case one or both of them got killed. Fortunately when things were looking touch and go Oscar intervened: "It's very important we don't shoot an unborn baby during the matinee!"

Also, I keep on saying this but the age recommendation for this show is 11+. Among the Zoom audience were a 7 year old & an even younger child whose age I'd estimate about 3. This is not a children's show. If you're looking for a children's improv show, Showstopper does one!

[Dawnstar]

(Apologies for the multiple posts but it's too late for me to add to the matinee post.) This evening's show was Fielding Of Dreams - a fantasy set in a field. Although most of it ended up taking place in a lake. A remarkably coherent plot by Mischief standards. Even Oscar was impressed! Heartwarming ending & zero body count. I was pleased to get a nice, happy show for what was my 100th Mischief improv show.

[marob]

This afternoon’s was more to my taste, I found tonight’s didn’t really hold my attention. Was not really a fan of the whole family reunion/child's birthday party thing either, felt a bit awkward. I’m amazed (but glad) Lauren’s “off my tits on tequila” passed by without comment, even if the sheep didn’t. I like how well both the new additions and the returnees have gelled as a team, given the circumstances. Love Matt Cavendish’s singing voice too, the duet with Ellie was rather nice.

[stevej678]

Jul 24, 2021 20:59:34 GMT marob said:

Was not really a fan of the whole family reunion/child's birthday party thing either, felt a bit awkward.

Especially awkward (and slightly annoying) when the different family members kept suggesting the same genres!

[Dawnstar]

Evidently I'd blanked out the annoying mass family Zoom participation, as it didn't cross my mind to mention it when posting above!

[marob]

I don’t mind so much that they did it, but by making such a big thing of it and incorporating it into the movie/characters then you just know that other people are going to do the same in any future runs.

The movie poster fan art started off somewhat professional, but then people jumped on the bandwagon, and it’s now ended up mostly being some words scrawled on a bit of lined paper by a random 6 year old. I’m hoping Jonathan’s quip about feeling like Ronald McDonald is not where we’re headed, because it does already feel a little bit too much like a family show as it is.

Now I come to think of it, did they do the fan art tonight? Or did I just blank that part out?

[Dawnstar]

Jul 24, 2021 23:58:08 GMT marob said:

I don’t mind so much that they did it, but by making such a big thing of it and incorporating it into the movie/characters then you just know that other people are going to do the same in any future runs.

The movie poster fan art started off somewhat professional, but then people jumped on the bandwagon, and it’s now ended up mostly being some words scrawled on a bit of lined paper by a random 6 year old. I’m hoping Jonathan’s quip about feeling like Ronald McDonald is not where we’re headed, because it does already feel a little bit too much like a family show as it is.

Now I come to think of it, did they do the fan art tonight? Or did I just blank that part out?

I totally agree on the posters. There's only one person now who does decent ones. The rest are the sort of thing that nauseatingly proud parents pin up on the fridge because somehow it's amazing that their small child can draw terribly! And yes, they did do the fan art last night.

[greeny11]

Fire In The Hole - 70s disaster film set in Australia

Lauren as Jill Nigels, Bryony as Anna, Matt as Edwin, Dave as the Mayor of Australia and Ellie as Misty Nigels with the Zoom cameo by Nancy as the mother (and an extra cameo by Nancy's husband).

A fairly coherent plot, but still chaotic enough to be very entertaining, mainly thanks to Matt. Matt took on a very Harry Kershaw-like role which provided a lot of entertainment, including the metaphors/similes and his old guy. Matt's 'Well, well, well' was perfect timing. I also really enjoyed the Aussie accents, and Dave as the mayor was great fun. Nancy's cameo was very entertaining as well. Considering how much death there normally is in a Mischief film, there was a surprising lack of it in this disaster film (just the koala I think). Shout out to Richard who was on his own in the music corner this evening.

[Dawnstar]

You made in back from London in time to see the emergency cover cast once then? I fear I'm going to have "slide down my greasy pole" stuck in my head for a long time. I was a bit miffed for Edwin at the end that after all he'd done Jill suddenly coupled up with Anna instead.

[greeny11]

It's Up To You Newark Newark - a gymnastics Olympic film set in Aylesbury and Newark

Highlights:
- Nancy's cartwheel and Charlie's rewind
- Joshua in general in the opening scene
- Even though I've never seen it, the Love Island references made me laugh - especially the musicians' contributions
- Henry Lewis as the voice of the gymnastics books
- The horse/dinosaur/crocodile ballet - with Harry announcing himself as the winner
- The film sassing Emmy after Gillian's poisoning - the cast causing complete chaos
- Harry as Ray Fandango
- Whispering Wild Things

This was chaotic in the best way, and made for a highly entertaining evening. I love Charlie's enthusiasm as Emmy, as well as her disgust at some of the events taking place in the film! It was lovely to see most of the cast back from self-isolation (along with Lauren from last week) - they all seemed in very high spirits this evening.

[Dawnstar]

Jul 29, 2021 20:05:24 GMT greeny11 said:

I love Charlie's enthusiasm as Emmy, as well as her disgust at some of the events taking place in the film!

I shared her disgust. What with the purging the other week & now tonight, I hope they have a moritorium on mentioning bodily functions for the rest of the run. I watch improv in the hope I'll be amused, not made to feel sick.

[greeny11]

Hot Swap Buns - a body swap musical

Highlights
- Harry in general this evening
- The song about puberty - Niall nailed the voice cracking - some impressively high singing
- The cast getting completely confused about who they became after the body swap
- Henry Shields showing off his Magna Carta knowledge, and Harry showing off his Latin
- Some of the songs were pretty good this evening
- Some good interventions by Henry Lewis as Oscar
- Rhyanna and Mike in the guided tour of the kitchen

This was utter chaos for the first 3/4 of the film, but had a lovely ending. Most of the work was done by Niall, Nancy, Henry S and Lauren, with Rhyanna, Harry and Mike making a few memorable (and not so memorable) cameos.

[greeny11]

Ashopocalypse Now - a post-apocalyptic movie

Highlights:
- Dave causing chaos, throwing completely ridiculous plot twists into the mix
- Henry Shields going in for a close up
- The Dolly Parton underscoring
- Henry L making Harry's character have a peacock 'thing'
- Lauren's Scottish burglar
- Susan's Carolina song - this was actually genuinely quite good
- Mutant X's companions
- Mutant X turning out to be Lawrence Dallaglio - but knew nothing about him
- Harry Kershaw completely forgetting which character he was
- The strangest game of Duck, Duck, Goose I've ever seen

If the other 2 shows are like this, this is going to be a great evening.

[Dawnstar]

I've never seen or played Duck, Duck, Goose before. I'm not sure I'm any wiser as to what it's supposed to be like now!

[greeny11]

Ashopalypse Next

Highlights:
- Henry Lewis trying to get into the same bed as Susan
- Morrisons only having 'moderately fresh' vegetables
- Henry Lewis' close up to the camera
- The fictional characters
- Lip sync done (Lauren did a much better job than Harry)
- Henry Lewis' mutant voice
- The incredibly long weapons check
- Lieutenant Andrew Garfield actually turning out to be the actor Andrew Garfield
- Jonathan and the cast completely losing the plot for a good 2 minutes
- Sybil (Harry's character) being the last remaining non-mutant
- The multiple cast close ups when becoming mutants
- Lawrence Dallaglio becoming one of the Mitchell brothers from Eastenders

The first one was chaotic enough, this was 1000 times more chaotic. There is still one more movie to go, who knows how chaotic the final movie is going to be.  I actually thought I was going to die laughing, it was completely brilliant and just what I needed.